Pea-separating machine.



G. J. LANGE.

PEA SEPAEATING MAGHINR.

APPLIOATIOII FILED OCT. 16, 1909.

Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

4 SHEETB-SHEBT 1.

G. J. LANGE;

PEA SEPARATING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILED 00T.16, 1909.

1 ,01 8,7 1 5 Patented Feb. 27, 1912.

G. J. LANGE.

PEA SEPARATING MACHINE. APPLICATION rim]: 0011s, 1909.

1,018,71 5. Patented 1 810.27, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

G. J. LANGE.

PEA SEPARATING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 18, 1-909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

. I ,x' I I Amwa Patented Feb. 27, 1912,

GUSTAV J. LANGE, 0F EAU CLAIRE, WISCONSIN.

PEA-SEPARATING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2'7, 1912.

Application filed October 16, 1909. Serial No. 523,021. I

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAV J. LANGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Eau Claire, in the county of Eau'Claire and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pea-Separating Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in machines for separating or grading peas and other vegetables or fruits into different grades according to their specific gravity.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical machine of this character which may be effectively used, not only for grading peas or separating the soft tender ones from those that are hard and dry, but which may also be used for separating pods, stems, thistles, weeds, etc., from the peas or other vegetables or fruits.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of a longitudinal receiving tank, a communicating overflow tank at one end of the same, a conveyer'in the receiving tank to feed the dry or hard peasalong the bottom of the latter-into the overflow tank, an endless conveyer or elevator in the last mentioned tank to remove the dry, hard peas therefrom, means at the outlet of the overflow tank for receiving the soft tender peas and collecting the solution whichoverflows from the last mentioned tank, and a pumping system for conveying the separating solution from the collecting or storage tank back into the receiving tank to replenish the latter and maintain a circulation of the solution through the tanks.

The invention further consists of the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved machine or apparatus for grading and separating fruits and vegetables. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Figs. 3 and 4.- are end elevations, and Fig. 5 is a detail section taken on the plane indicated by the line 55 in Fig. 2.

In the drawings 1 denotes a horizontally dis osed receiving tank arranged longitudlnally in a supporting frame 2 and con- 1 structed of sheet metal, said tank having its bottom portion formed with a centrally arranged, longitudinally extending, channel 4 of semicylindrical shape in cross section and with two downwardly and inwardly inclined portions 3 which extend from the upright side walls 1 to the channel 4:, as. clearly shown in Fig. 5 of the drawing. The side walls 1 of the receiving tank have their upper edges bent outwardly to provide horizontal reinforcing flanges l and the extremities of these flanges are bent upwardly as shown at 1 and secured to upright posts 2 forming part of the frame 2. One end of the tank 1 is closed by an upright wall 1, which latter is provided with flanges similar to the flanges l 1, as seen in Fig. 4., and the other end of said tank comm-unicates with a discharge or overflow tank 11, which latter is disposed transxersely in the frame and projects laterally from one side of the same, as seen in Fig. 3. The side flanges 1 are connected by diagonal braces 10 to the posts 2 whereby the intermediate portion ofthe longitudinal tank 1 is supported and the frame 2 strengthened. Other braces 10 unite the lower portions of the posts 2, while the upper portions of said posts are united by cross bars 10.

WVorking in the channel 4 of the tank 1 is a spiral screw or auger 5 adapted to feed the peas or other fruit from the receiving end of said tank to the overflow tank 11, said auger being fixed to a longitudinal shaft 6 which is driven by sprocket chain gearing 7 from an elevated drive shaft 8 arranged longitudinally of the frame and journaled in bearings on the extended upper portions of two of the posts 2*. The shaft 8 is provided with a pulley 9 for the usual driving belt. The overflow tank 11 is substantially V-shaped when viewed from one end of the machine, and working in its laterally extending portion is an endless elevator 12 consisting of sprocket chains united by perforated baskets 13. The sprocket chains pass around sprocket wheels on lower and upper shafts 16, 17, respectively, the lower shaft 16 being arranged adjacent the bottom of the tank so that as the buckets dip into the bottom of the tank 11 they pick up and elevate the hard, dry peas and discharge them over a deflector plate 14 and into a suitable collecting or receiving receptacle 15. The upper shaft 17 is j ournaled in bearings on the extended ends of two of the cross bars 10 and said shaft is connected by sprocket chain gearing 18 to the main I the elevator will be simultaneously actuated when power is applied to the shaft 8.

The soft, tender peas float out of the overflow tank 11 and through a downwardly in clined chute or spout 19 provided at the outer side or end of the tank 11 and having flanged sides provided at their upper ends with attaching flanges 19 which are secured to adjacent posts 2 as shown in Fig. 3. The tender peas drop from the spout 19 into a perforated basket or receptacle 20 which swings from said spout and is disposed over a tank or reservoir 21 which collectsthe overflowing solution. This solution and the method of separating peas or other fruit by the use of my improved machine, forms the. subject matter of a separate application filed of even date herewith and bearing Serial Number 523,022. The reservoir or tank 21 is connected by a pipe 22 to a steam pump 23, which latter has its discharge connected to the .pipe 24: leading to the inlet end of the receiving tank 1. When the pump 23 is operated a constant circulation of the separating solution is maintained through 'the two tanks so that the soft, tender p'eas'will float through'the tank 1, then through the tank 11 and out of the latter into the 001-" by the auger 5 to the tank-11. From the bottom of this tank 11 they are elevated by the buckets of the elevator 12 and dischar-grad into the receiving receptacle '15.

In using themachine the solution is pre- 7 pared so that it has the proper specificgravity for effectively grading the peas that are to be placed into the machine, the solution being tested by a hydrometer and the test varying according to the condition ofthe peas or other vegetables or fruits. When the proper amount of this solution has been placed in the-tanks the pump 23 is started to :cause a circulation. through the tanks and the peas are'then dropped into the-receiving tank 1. The dry peas will sink to the bottom of said tank' and be conveyed by the screw therein to the tank 11 from which latter they will be removed by the elevator 12. The soft tender peas which float on the surface of-the solution pass out of the overthe receptacle 20, while the solution which overflows is pumped'back into the tank 1.

While I have described themachine or apparatus as used for separating or grading peas, it will be understood thatit may be used for separating the pods, stems, weeds, etc., from the peas. I

Slight changes in the form, proportion and arrangementof parts, and in the details of construction may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the invention as, defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

A fruit separating machine of the class described embodying a receiving tank, open at one end, an overflow tank into which the open end of the receiving tank discharges, the said overflow tank extending across the open end and also from one side of the receiving tank at right angles thereto, the

flow chute or spout 19 and are collected in bottom of the overflow tank being lower than that of the receiving tank so that the overflow tank forms a pocket deeper than and at the discharge end of the receiving tank, said overflow tank having a discharge spout for the floating fruit in its end wall opposite the discharge end of and at a higher plane than that of thebottom of the receiving tank, means to maintain a body of sep-. arating liquid the tank and cause a surface current to flow longitudinally through the receiving tank anclacross the overflow tank and todischarge,- together with the floating fruit, through'the spout of the overflow tank, means operating in the-bottom ofthe receiving tank tddisCha'rge the sunken fruit into the pocket formed by the overflow tank and a carrier in the overflow tank to discharge the sunken fruit from the pocket over one side of the overflow tank.

In testimony whereofI hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

, GUSTAV J. LANGE; Witnesses: v 4

o. M. oAMPBm, E. J. LENMARK, 

